Junior Year
by loweariel36
Summary: It's never easy living in Beacon Hills. Dead bodies are appearing once more, and for Danny, he's starting his junior year in high school and trying to forget his painful break-up. He uses his school work as a distraction until he meets the twins. *Dethan
1. Meeting the Twins

Pulling his car to a stop, Danny glanced out his windshield and noticed the cloudy weather. If it rained later, he'd be miserable because Coach held practice rain or shine while he stood beneath an umbrella. Coach decided to force him and several unlucky starters to see what the freshmen were made of later. He was the Cyclone's only goalie, so he had to be at all the tryouts. Danny lowered his head to the steering wheel, groaning to himself. "I want to be sleeping right now."

He put his car in park and removed his keys, spotting another car pull in beside him. The entire lacrosse team parked in the same section ever since they had cars to drive. Danny slid out and held his backpack on one shoulder and his lacrosse bag on the other. "Tell me you are coming later. I can't stand the freshmen," he muttered, glancing to a fellow player.

"No way! Have you been listening to the news? It's going to storm later. Coach is crazy if he doesn't cancel tryouts."

"I don't think he cares."

"I know he doesn't care. It just sucks to be you. It's the first day back anyway. I'm exhausted from waking up so early. I'm used to sleeping in."

"The freshmen are going to sit the bench. I don't see the point. Coach won't make a second team for them, and there's barely enough teams for us to play. If the team doesn't completely stink, we aren't even playing kids in high school," Danny explained, rubbing at one of his eyes. He could faintly remember being plowed by a football player that resembled a gorilla on steroids; it might have been the other way around. Waking up with a splitting headache and sore body was the worst part, but they won the championship match. He had a feeling this season would not be easy, considering they held the title. "Why did they change it to a full day? The first day is supposed to be half," he protested, walking towards the entrance.

"McCall sucked, but now, he's captain. There could be hope for some of the freshmen with last year's seniors gone. I'm just playing, so I can get a scholarship. My grades are not going to cut it."

"You know McCall is something else. Lacrosse is the only thing our school has. All of our other teams suck. More recruiters are going to come to our games now. I guess it's a good thing we won. The other schools are coming after us though."

"Woah, look at those bikes!"

Danny stopped beside his friend and grinned at the sight of two motorcycles. "How much do you think they are worth?"

"More than we could afford."

"I think Jackson could have managed. He drove a Porsche. He never did give me that car." Danny muttered, crossing his arms. His best friend finally escaped Beacon Hills and moved to London with his family. Danny felt happy for him, knowing something would be missing this year. Jackson needed a change of environment though; he could tell something had been bothering him last year. If he could have helped more, he would, but Danny settled with giving his friend space. Although, Jackson did make up with Lydia towards summer; it didn't take him long to leave them behind. It was probably for the best. He'd have to find new people to hang out with now.

"No, Jackson's _parents_ could have bought the entire town. I'm really surprised they lived here with all the money they had. I just wish I had a bike like that."

Danny rolled his eyes and began to walk away. The sound of another motorcycle approaching made him look over his shoulder. A green bike parked near the front, and he recognized McCall when he slipped the helmet off. Was everybody getting new rides for junior year? He turned back and quit staring, remembering how Jackson would tease him about having crushes. The captain had nice looks, but he was not his type nonetheless. "Taylor, wait up," he called, watching his friend disappear inside.

He entered and sighed when Taylor was nowhere in sight. "Thanks, man," he mumbled and walked to his locker. Danny opened the lock and stuffed his lacrosse bag inside with great difficulty, forcing it into the empty space. The lockeroom was located on the other side of the school, and class began shortly. Closing the metal door, he wondered if he would be able to open it again because the bag's sheer bulk. A flier taped to the pale, blue locker down the row caught his eye, and he read it quickly. Since when did their school have a Cross Country team? Danny saw Coach's name across the bottom and knew the entire lacrosse team would be roped into this nonsense as well; Coach Finstock threatened them with failing grades if they refused to listen. He stood in goal mostly and could use more exercise though.

Danny reminded himself to ask Coach later and walked to class. He met a few friendly faces, waving at other members of the team. A lot of them had changed over the summer, and he wished his had been more eventful. Last summer was consumed by his ex, but they weren't together anymore. He really missed having a friend constantly around; their relationship would never have worked out in the end. His teammates seemed to have met a few ladies over the past few months, and he could see the stories of having sex and horrible lies already.

Chemistry II took his first block, and sitting through Mr. Harris' class was not his ideal start to a day. Mr. Harris took pride in getting his students in deep trouble, so Danny wisely stayed on his good side. He began a project over the summer with his teacher's assistance to insure extra credit and leniency.

"Hello, Danny."

He jumped and glanced to the large desk near the whiteboard. "Hey, Mr. Harris. Have you had a good summer?"

"Yes, I have surprisingly. I can't believe I have to return and teach a new class of buffoons. How is the project going? You said you were still researching the last time we spoke."

"Well, chem isn't the most exciting subject. I'd rather stay home too," Danny explained, crossing his arms awkwardly. He never knew what to say around Mr. Harris. "I found some interesting information that backs up my theory. I'm still missing something, so I'll show you the minute I figure it out."

"Great, I wish I had more students like you. I might be able to stand teaching then."

Danny nodded and retreated to a desk by the windows, dropping his backpack beside him. Why did he come up with such a challenging project? He had been bored to tears over the summer, but his extra credit work gave him headaches after a few moments of focusing. It seemed to boost his teacher's confidence in him though, and he preferred teacher's pet over painful detentions. Mr. Harris has been known to keep students until dark due to classroom disruptions. Stiles complained quite frequently about the man's evil heart and desire to torture teenagers.

He was the first in the classroom and hardly cared. Homework usually occupied him in the morning because of advanced classes, but he'd wait until class began. The amount of rules and syllabuses were always overwhelming, making him feel like he might nod off at any second. Danny's thoughts drifted when his brown eyes met the window. Strange things have been happening in Beacon Hills over the past year or so. He wished he had explanations for them. Who knew so much trouble could happen in a small town?

The mountain lion attacks were nightmarish until the police blamed Derek Hale and cleared his name just as fast. They eventually stopped until sophomore year when more people were attacked and killed. Sophomore year turned into a blur after he broke up with his ex, and Jackson acting weird made it harder on him. Despite Jackson's attitude to others, he could speak his mind and get things off his chest. He hated seeing in his friend in such a distressed state; he even put a restraining order on Scott which Danny never understood.

Another incident completely flipped the school around. If Erica turning into a supermodel overnight wasn't bizarre, then the murders and accusations flying around made everyone paranoid. There had to be stranger things in the world; he just didn't have the answers to all of his questions yet. Danny remembered Matt, the photographer, and how he drowned in the river next to the police station. He attended the funeral because Matt played on the Cyclones, yet not many people were there. It left Danny with an odd feeling inside because Matt would never be scoring goals again. Why did he go into the river though? Was he attacked, or did he do something stupid and hit his head? Everyone completely forgot after he passed, and the school didn't bother with a memorial.

Isaac, another player on the Cyclones, had been accused of murdering his abusive father just after school started. The sheriff cleared his name and allowed him to come back to school shortly after. Danny felt wary around Isaac after that as if the accusations had been true all along. He didn't believe Isaac hurt anyone, yet Isaac came from an unstable household. His father could have warped his mind, making him snap one night.

"Hello, Danny!"

Danny turned his head and narrowed his eyes at Taylor. "Where did you disappear to?"

"What were you thinking about?"

"Nothing! You just left me, so where did you do go?"

"I walked my girlfriend to class. I was hoping to keep it secret."

"Since when do you have a girlfriend?" Danny asked, puzzled. He looked down to his wooden desk, tracing his finger across the surface. It was harder for him to grow close to anyone because he liked men. His ex cheated on him with a woman, and they had been together over half a year. He really thought he found the person that would stick with him through everything. After breaking up, Danny wasn't sure if he'd ever find another man like his ex; he had been so perfect. Everyone at BHHS knew he was gay, but they lived in a small town. It was difficult to find someone attractive that could like him back at the same time.

"I went to a party, and we started talking. I got her digits," Taylor explained, giving Danny grin.

"I hope she knows what she's getting herself into. I bet it doesn't last a month," he muttered, propping his head up.

"Oh, we'll see about that."

The bell rang and announced summer's end. He looked over the faces in the classroom and saw Scott and Stiles on the other side of the room. How did their Captain get into this class? Lydia sat at the front of the room which didn't surprise him. She could easily be the smartest student in the school. Mr. Harris began to speak, pointing at several guidelines on the whiteboard. On the edge of his peripheral, he watched McCall and Stiles whispering urgently. They always had something to talk about, and when he eavesdropped, their conversations were pretty random. "Mr. Stilinski!"

Danny returned his attention to their chem teacher, noticing his irritated expression. Both of them had been talking, but Mr. Harris loathed Stiles with a passion. If Stiles didn't provoke him, maybe he wouldn't get into so much trouble. They chose to have their weird conversations during chem, and Mr. Harris refused to put up with it. He shifted his position and glanced to the clock. Only one minute had passed before the threats for punishment began.

Rubbing his eyes, Danny felt like he began to fall asleep towards the end of class. The bell rang loudly and woke him, preventing him from getting his ass chewed by Harris. He stuffed several papers into his backpack and stood to leave, following the eager crowd to the door.

"Danny."

He paused and retreated a few steps. "Yes?"

"I'd really like you to show me your project on telluric currents. I plan on giving the class a project early on, so you'll be exempt from it. Try to finish it by next week if possible, and I might give you extra credit. It's not often I come across a student like you."

"I'll go to the library after school," he promised, sighing with relief. Mr. Harris graded projects heavily; being exempt from doing one was a dream come true.

"Alright, you have class. I don't feel like writing a late slip right now."

Danny took his signal to leave and walked into the hall quickly. He pulled out his schedule and set off to English next.

The day passed dully and slowly. His backpack appeared like it might burst from textbooks at any moment. The reading and signing papers later would be extremely annoying. Once he reached his locker, Danny remembered the oncoming storm and Coach's tryouts. He wanted to go home so badly that he forgot all about it. "Why?" Danny asked himself, seeing Scott walk towards the entrance with Stiles. Of course, neither of them had to stay behind and put up with Coach. He began to open his locker when Danny recalled something else. "Damn it."

Readjusting his backpack, he moved back into the crowd and walked slowly to the library. Danny didn't feel like looking through massive books at the moment, but he was worried about Harris revoking his offer. He entered the double doors and scanned the shelves of books. Several people were hanging out instead of going home. The clock told him that he didn't have long to sift through the library before Coach made him run laps. Despite their small school, their library was contained in the largest room in the school. To him, it was very impressive, and a lot of their funding went into the extensive library. BHHS surprisingly offered tough programs that required the collection of books; it trumped the town library easily.

"Currents," he muttered to himself, heading in the direction. Danny walked past a book shelf and watched in surprise. A boy stood near the history shelf with his twin brother right next to him, looking over the references. Danny was surprised because he had never seen them before, and they were both attractive. His heart skipped a beat when one actually turned and watched him, hinting a faint smile. The moment ended as Danny collided with a freshmen and nearly made him drop his books. "Sorry," he stammered, steadying the boy. How embarrassing! He felt his skin grow warm; he hadn't been this embarrassed in awhile. Danny took a deep breath and told himself to fix the situation immediately.

He walked over to the boy and forced himself to look him in the eye. "Hi, I'm Danny," he said, feeling like an idiot.

"I'm Ethan," Ethan replied, crossing his arms. "I'm new here. You could probably tell though. We've been getting some stares. I'm taking Beacons Hills doesn't have many new kids?"

"No, we don't get a lot of new people. The new people tend to be the most interesting though. It's just something different in a small town. We like excitement here."

"This is Aiden by the way," Ethan added, elbowing his brother.

Aiden turned and waved before returning to his book search.

"You like excitement? We've heard a lot of weird stuff happens here." Ethan continued, leaning against the shelf.

"I honestly don't know what goes on here. I know the town is hiding something, and it might come clear to everyone soon enough. I'm sure the police will find answers."

"Like how those two people died?"

"You heard about that?"

"We heard it wasn't the only two. Do you guys have a wild animal problem?" Ethan asked, chuckling.

Danny knew it was ridiculous himself. If the deaths were caused by wild animals, they had a serious problem on their hands. It's like they couldn't live their every day lives without another death turning up. "A mountain lion killed some people awhile back, but Mr. Argent killed it. I honestly don't know. I just hope the police figures out something before somebody else get hurt," he insisted, frowning. "You just moved here, and we're talking about this. Are you joining any teams? You guy look like you could handle lacrosse, and you'll meet half the guys here. Scott McCall is the captain, so you can talk with him."

Ethan seemed a little surprised at the news, nodding slowly. "We saw a flier for cross country. How do we talk with Mr. Finstock?"

Danny smiled at Ethan's question, feeling glad he knew Coach for once. "I have to help Coach with lacrosse tryouts later. You guys could come with me and talk to him," he offered.

Shaking his head, Ethan turned to ask his brother a question. Aiden was already having a conversation with Lydia Martin.

"That didn't take long," Danny mumbled, tilting his head to watch them.

"Yeah, Aiden is a flirt. First day and he's already hitting up women. We would go, but it's supposed to rain later. We came here on bikes, so I don't want to be soaked. We also have to help our Dad unpack the house. He's crazy about having everything perfect."

"Wait, are you talking about the bikes out front? Those bikes?" Danny asked, recalling the two motorcycles.

"Yeah, those bikes."

"They are really nice. It must have taken you forever to save up."

"Nah, our Dad is just generous. We don't ask much of him, and it's really fun to go riding."

He watched as Aiden walked away, trailing after Lydia like a puppy. She already has him wrapped around her finger. With Jackson gone, Lydia is left without a boy toy. "I feel sorry for your brother," he began, laughing.

"I do too. I tell him from time to time, but he never seems to care. I better go get him before he gets into trouble," Ethan said lightly, starting to walk away. He paused and looked back to him. "Danny, can you show me around school sometime? Aiden has been asking directions from women all day, but I'd actually like to find my way around. You know what he's up to. Oh, and you need to take me to your Coach. Cross country sounds fun. See you around!" Ethan added, jogging after his brother.

Danny nodded and let out a long breath when Ethan left. He turned disaster into a new friend; he wasn't sure how he did it though. As he looked around, the library seemed to clear considerably, and his phone started to ring.

"Hello?"

"Danny, where are you? Tryouts start in a few minutes."

"Shit! I forgot. I'll be right there."

Danny hung up and raced over to the science shelf. He scanned the titles and stuffed two books into his backpack without checking them out. The librarians wouldn't notice they were missing, and Coach would have his ass if he wasn't ready on time. Sprinting through the halls, he apologized if he bumped into anyone and stopped outside of his locker. He hit another spot of trouble when his lacrosse back got stuck in his locker, yanking and pulling to get it out. Danny nearly stumbled when the bag came free, and he slammed the locker with a pounding heart._I'm so dead, so very, very dead._

He wondered how fast he ran because the distance to the lockeroom passed in seconds. Bursting inside, he threw his bags to the floor and started to get dressed in his practice jersey. Coach entered the room while he was lacing his cleats and began to explain the purpose of the tryout, meaning Coach was simply going to weed out the freshmen. By the time they were heading to the field, he strapped his pads on and cursed himself for losing track of time. Thankfully, Coach had his sights on the freshmen, so his late appearance went unnoticed.

Jogging out to the field, he saw Coach already set up a drill and walked over to the goal. He slipped his helmet on and gripped his lacrosse stick tightly.

"Danny, none of them better score, or you'll be the one running!"

"Yes, Coach!" he called back, gripping his stick tighter. The sound of revving motorcycles drew his attention though, and he looked over his shoulder. Two riders sped out of the parking lot, hugging low to their bikes. A peal of thunder rang out above; they must be trying to beat the storm. They were out of sight in moments. A ball smacked him in the chest and brought him to attention, scaring him half to death.

"Danny! You're lucky he doesn't know what he's doing!" Coach yelled, blowing his whistle for the drill to continue.

Shaking his head, he told himself to focus on the incoming lacrosse balls. He didn't feel like running today.


	2. Never a Dull Moment

Danny walked towards school with only one bag this morning. He was a little irritated with Coach for not stopping the tryout early. How many tryouts did they need? They were in the middle of lacrosse off season. As predicted, it poured sheets of rain and turned the field into a massive swamp. Coach held an umbrella over his head and wore a warm raincoat while whistling at everyone. He would have preferred running rather than standing in the goal and freezing to death. Didn't the school have safety regulations about dangerous weather? With all the chaos in town, sports were the last thing on anyone's mind. When he arrived home, he stood in the shower until the hot water disappeared, feeling chilly until drying off. Danny hoped Coach would figure out the freshmen were hopeless; they would only be good for keeping the bench warm during cold games.

He pulled his yellow sleeves down as he approached the school, noticing the dark bikes in the same parking spot. They must have arrived early again. Danny realized he had been running late this morning. After turning into a drenched rat, he wasn't eager to leave his warm bed and go to school. For the next few days, he was going to pretend he had a bad cold, but he had a feeling last night was the end of it. He didn't think Coach was too impressed with the new benchwarmers. None of them stood out, and he could faintly remember not having to move while standing in goal. The balls would bounce off him, not reach him, or miss to the side. The Cyclones were lucky they had decent starters and subs to cover games.

Walking straight to the vending machine, his dollar slipped inside slowly. He looked over the snacks and decided on a pack of pop tarts. Danny watched the spring unwind and stop with his pop tarts still attached. "You have got to be kidding me," he muttered, pressing the button again. The machine took his money and refused to give it back. "That was my only dollar," he moaned, wondering if he should try shaking it. He didn't have time to go through the breakfast line before class started.

"What's up?"

He turned quickly and jumped at the sight of Ethan. "Don't do that. I'm half asleep."

Ethan grinned and looked over Danny's shoulder. "Getting food? Can I have some?"

"I would if the machine wasn't broken."

"Oh, I know how to fix that," Ethan insisted, grabbing the edges. "You just shake it, and it falls off half the time."

"That never works," Danny began to say, hearing the pop tarts smack the bottom. He narrowed his gaze at Ethan with a questioning stare. Did he really just do that? That machine had to weigh a ton. "I would ask you to teach me, but it would probably fall and crush me," he explained.

"Alright, maybe a little luck and practice," he replied, opening the pop tarts. "Chocolate? Not very healthy," Ethan muttered, sliding one into his mouth.

Danny shook his head with a smile and grabbed his remaining breakfast. "In my defense, I don't get to eat chocolate often. The other flavors taste like shit too."

"I can believe that since this tastes like shit."

"It's probably left over from last year."

"I don't think it'd make a difference."

Danny forced himself to eat, knowing he'd be starving later. "So, where is Aiden?" he asked, sitting on a lunch table.

"Hell if I know. He's probably with that one girl. I forgot her name."

"Lydia?"

"Yeah, he was talking about her this morning. I don't understand my brother. We just moved here, and he already wants a girlfriend," Ethan said with a shrug, leaning against the wall.

Danny chewed the rest of his pop tart, watching Ethan eat regardless of the taste. He found this situation slightly amusing. They were both going to the nurse later from food poisoning. It was going to happen, and neither of them seemed to care about the consequences. "You guys are new here, so I'm just saying, don't mess with Lydia. My best friend used to date her, but he moved to London in early summer. She's been searching for a guy to replace him which means she has been single for a very long time."

"I tried to warn him."

The bell rang loudly, beginning school. Danny watched Ethan wince until the ringing stopped, but he kept quiet. He was the same way on most mornings and hated any noise. "I don't want to go to class," he complained, balling the wrapper up. He threw it into the trash can without moving, smirking at Ethan.

"You offered to show me around. I think we could get away with it," Ethan suggested as he looked to the clock.

Sliding off the table, Danny shouldered his backpack and debated. Could he afford to miss chem with Harris? The teacher's monotone voice spoke in his head and made the decision for him. "Yeah, I'm down with that. I need to go to my locker first and put my stuff up." he agreed, leading the way. "It seems you found the cafeteria."

"I actually followed you. I saw you in the hall. My brother decided to leave me by myself. I spend way too much time with him. You're the first person that I've actually talked to."

"That's pretty pathetic, man," Danny teased, chuckling. He held the door open for Ethan and started down the hallway. "Did you beat the rain yesterday? I was out on the field and heard you leave. The rain came pretty quick."

"We got home before getting completely soaked, but we weren't going the speed limit. It sounds like you had fun at practice."

"So much fun," he mumbled, stopping outside his locker. Danny opened it and thankfully didn't have the same difficulty with his lacrosse bag. He shut the metal door back and turn to stare at Ethan. A few seconds passed where he didn't say anything like he was surprised. In those few moments, Danny thought about the embarrassment he could have suffered if he hadn't spoken to Ethan in the library. He would have missed out on a new friend, and he wanted to keep it this way. "Where do you want to go first?" Danny asked, glancing to the floor.

"We can walk wherever. I'll just watch."

"Alright," Danny agreed, walking down the hall. Acting like a tour guide would make him feel stupid anyway; Ethan could observe with his own eyes. "How do you like Beacon Hills so far? I've lived here my whole life, boring right? I like it here though. We live in a small town, but something is always going on. I know I'll have to move out for college, so I have to enjoy it while it lasts," he confessed. He stopped outside the gym and peered through the window. A class was underway with Coach whistling at several students. "That's Coach by the way."

"I think it's really nice here. I know Aiden is thinking the same. We needed a fresh start, you know what I mean? We learned about the town's checkered past after arriving, but what can you do? Any town will have its problems. You can never predict what can happen. I learned that a long time ago," Ethan stated, following Danny to the glass. "That's your Coach?"

Danny nodded at Ethan's answer. "This will be my third year dealing with him. He's insane. I don't think he has a teaching license, but he knows what he is doing." Leading the way once more, Danny listened to Ethan laugh about Coach. They both grew quiet while walking past the classrooms. Getting in trouble on their second day of school would be very sad. He watched Ethan scan the lockers and classrooms, keeping quiet and letting him memorize the halls. As he turned right, Danny pointed to another set of double doors. "That's where the pool is, and there is another entrance to the gym in there."

He led the way and showcased the entire first floor. Most of the classrooms were located there, so they didn't speak very much. It was risky walking around without hall passes. Danny knew their last principal didn't take kindly to wandering students and hooked up cameras to monitor them. Thankfully, the old man resigned, and their previous principal returned from his vacation. Continuing in silence, he came to a stop at the first staircase. "The second floor is designed the same way. Art, music, and other electives are up there. We can walk around some more or go outside," he suggested.

"Let's go outside."

There are many exits located around the school, and most of them are unlocked. "Any of these exits lead to the path. The sidewalk wraps around the school and makes it impossible to get lost," Danny added, holding the door open. After Ethan passed through, he made sure it closed softly behind them. Coach was holding P.E. in the gym today, and it gave them the opportunity to never be found. Nobody would take a stroll down to the bleachers while class was going. He took them the long way to the fields, allowing Ethan to see the campus. It wouldn't be long until he learned his way around. Danny only got lost once as a freshmen.

Birds chirped loudly in the forest that bordered the back of the school. The humidity grew worse as they walked, so he rolled up his sleeves. The sky cleared and promised mild weather which made him feel at ease. Danny hated the dark and stormy clouds, promising horrible practices with Coach. His eyes shifted to Ethan and tried to think of something to say. They were nearly to the fields, yet they were walking quietly like they barely knew each other. Both of them just met, but earlier they had been talking so easily. Did they both run out of things to say? He knew he could normally come up with something; his mouth struggled to form words. Rubbing his left arm uncomfortably, Danny spotted the fields and stopped. "That's the soccer and football field. Both teams have to share the field."

Ethan remained quiet and started to walk towards the bleachers. He pulled out his phone and started to text someone. The sun dried the silver seats that morning and allowed him to sit without getting wet.

Danny frowned and wondered if he did something wrong. Had he given Ethan the wrong impression? He looked down to his shoes before following him to the bleachers. "Is everything okay?" Danny asked, hoping Ethan gave him a simple excuse. He might be nervous about moving to a new town or tired from waking up this morning like him.

"I saw the police talking to the principal this morning. I didn't mean to overhear, but I was getting stuff out of my locker. They found a third body last night. What do you think it means? They are about our age," he mumbled, sliding his phone into his pocket.

Danny's eyes widened, and he sat down next to Ethan quickly. "What do you mean they found another body?" he asked, rubbing his right knee nervously. "I'm sure the police are going to find out who's behind this. They protect us, and you have to go looking for trouble to find it. I'm sure it's going to be okay. I really hate for you to move here and bad things to start happening again," he tried to reassure.

Ethan nodded at him, seeming very troubled. "What has happened in the past though? I just want to know. My Dad is curious, but I know he wouldn't make us move again."

Pausing at his question, Danny stared at the soccer goal down on the field. He shook his head with a sigh, realizing he couldn't keep anything secret. "Right after freshmen year began, a mountain lion started to kill people. It was mainly homeless people. My friend, Jackson, ran into it and barely escaped. He wouldn't tell me anything about it, but the police report made the news. He was renting a movie with Lydia, and it killed the worker, almost him, and trashed the store. It burst through the glass window and disappeared into the forest. The lion turned up in the school parking lot, and Mr. Argent managed to kill it," Danny explained, rubbing his jeans. "A few days later, his sister was found with her throat slashed. There was no trace of wild animals anywhere."

He turned his head and watched Ethan, seeing that he wanted to hear more. "They found her at the ruins of the Hale house. It turns out she set it on fire and killed the entire family. Derek Hale…and I think his uncle survived. They held the funeral for her last year. The hype about it was nuts. I honestly thought nothing else would go wrong. People started to get murdered again in the fall. I can't remember how they died though. There was a rumor that they were paralyzed and couldn't move while the monster slowly killed them," Danny persisted, realizing that his hands were sweating. Wiping his jeans, he shot Ethan another look.

Ethan seemed stunned by the bloody history and scooted closer. "How do you know so much? You can stop. I can tell it's bothering you to talk about it."

"No, it's fine, really. Nobody acts like it, but we are all worried about the new deaths. Anybody could tell you about what happens here. I'm sorry that you moved here during this. Beacon Hills is not what it seems to be. Do you want to know the person behind the murders last year? It was a guy named Matt. He went to this school, played on the lacrosse team, and we talked a couple times. You would have never known that he was capable of killing so many. He killed a couple; strung the husband in a tree and suffocated the wife while she was pregnant with her child. I went to his funeral even though he tried to kill me. Isn't that ironic? I was at a club, and he paralyzed several guys on the dance floor. The last thing I remembered was something scratching my neck before I couldn't move from the neck down. I was lucky so many people helped us get to the hospital. Matt drowned in a river, couldn't swim," Danny explained, looking away from Ethan.

He felt a hand touch his shoulder, and he turned to watch Ethan. Ethan seemed guilty for asking; he hadn't been expecting such a dark answer. Danny smiled slowly, feeling the genuine comfort from his touch.

"Danny, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked. I didn't mean for that. Are you okay? I feel really bad," Ethan apologized.

"It's okay. I told you because you wanted to know. I just feel like anybody should have the chance to know. Thanks for listening. You're the first person that I've actually told. I feel better. I think I've been dwelling on it for awhile even though Matt can't hurt people now."

A loud whistle shocked both of them, and they stared at the source with surprise. Coach stood on the sidewalk with his arms crossed. "Danny! You're supposed to be in class right now. What are you doing out here? You know what, I don't want to know. You and your boyfriend better be at cross country practice, or you'll both have detentions! The bell just rang by the way!" he shouted, continuing on his way.

Danny felt Ethan's hand drop to his side, stunned by Coach's teasing comment. He hoped he wasn't blushing of all things, and he felt like hiding and never coming out. Fearfully, he stood and looked back to Ethan, seeing him smile. "We better get to class," he stammered, walking to the stairs.

"I thought we weren't going to get caught. I guess I'll see you at cross country. I will bring Aiden too," Ethan insisted, going down the stairs in front of him.

Gripping the rail, Danny watched as Ethan reached the bottom and began to walk towards school. He honestly felt mortified despite Ethan's response. Why did Coach have to find them? They would have been in deep trouble if it had been anyone else, but why did it have to be Coach? Feeling a pit form in his stomach, he descended the metal stairs slowly. A weight had been removed from his shoulders and replaced by a new one. Sometimes he couldn't keep friendships because other guys were uncomfortable around him, and it was just something he couldn't help. He didn't try to make them nervous. They couldn't act the same around him for whatever reason. That's why he missed Jackson already; Jackson would defend him from the other guys in the lockeroom even though it was embarrassing. He had to step up this year because Jackson wouldn't be around to stick up for him.

By the time he stood in the locker room, his thoughts created at least ten different ways to respond to this morning's nightmare. He felt terrible for dropping so much depressing information in Ethan's lap. What had he been thinking? Was that the way to welcome someone to town? He spilled all of Beacon Hills' dark secrets within ten minutes. Was he an idiot? Danny leaned against the tan lockers, sighing in frustration. His gaze narrowed as he heard Stiles and Scott having another stupid conversation, so he listened in and felt his spirits rise.

"I looked everywhere. It's like he just walked away and left his car, his dog," Scott muttered.

"Okay, could he be a virgin maybe? Did he look like a virgin?" Stiles asked.

"No, definitely not. Deaton makes me have sex with all of his clients. It's a new policy," Scott teased, pausing. "No, I don't know if he was a virgin, and why are you talking like he's already dead? He's just missing."

"Missing and presumed dead. He's probably a virgin, Scott. You know who else is a virgin, me! I'm a virgin. Okay, do you know what that means? It means my lack of sexual experience is now literally a threat to my life. Okay? I need to have sex like right now. Someone needs to have sex with me like today! Someone needs to sex me right now!" Stiles urged, slamming his locker.

Danny stared at Stiles and prevented himself from laughing. He couldn't fathom what they were really talking about, but it was too hard to resist. "Alright, I'll do it," Danny exclaimed.

Stiles whirled around and screamed in surprise, watching Danny with a curious gaze. "What?" he spluttered.

Smiling at him, Danny knew this was too good. "Come to my place a nine. Plan to stay the night. I like to cuddle."

Glancing back to Scott, Stiles didn't know what to say for a few moments. "That is so sweet of you. Are you kidding?"

"Yes, I'm kidding!" Danny said forcefully, walking away in disbelief. He sometimes wondered if Stiles was gay deep down or just incredibly stupid. Stiles asked him so many times if he found him attractive, and it just made him cringe in agony. Having sex with Stiles was not a pretty thought.

"You know, you don't toy with a guy's emotions like that, Danny! It's not attractive, alright?" Stiles shouted back.

Danny set his bag down and turned when Isaac entered the room. He hadn't seen Isaac yesterday. Isaac was supposed to help with tryouts, but he never showed at school. Reaching into his bag, he pulled out his practice jersey; at least the cross country jerseys didn't have sleeves. Lacrosse pads baked all of the players, and he was the one that stood in goal and didn't run around. He stood straighter when he heard Coach exit his office, berating Isaac for being late.

"I'll remind you all that cross country is not optional for lacrosse players! I don't need you to turn into a bunch of fat asses in the off season!" he reminded, gesturing at one of the boys.

Sliding his shirt off, Danny stopped as Coach stared at him for a few moments. None of the lacrosse players were fat because Coach saw to that. They ran countless fitness drills, and Danny doubted it was possible to gain any weight over the off season. They only gained weight in muscle. Even then, Danny was on the skinny side with lean muscle covering his body.

"So, work on that," Coach mumbled, retreating back to his office.

He stuffed his shirt into his bag and changed into his jersey and lacrosse shorts. The guys were clearing out and putting ear buds in their ears for the running. They had to run several miles at each practice because cross country comprised of long distance running. Danny developed a suitable pace during his first lacrosse preseason, and it managed to keep him with the pack of runners. He never fell behind; if he did, it told him he was not pushing hard enough. Glancing around the locker room, he went outside with the others. Did the twins skip, or were they already outside? He didn't see them come in earlier.

A breeze blew by and rustled the tree limbs. The crowd of runners stood near the forest trail, and he watched the boys walk over to the approaching girls. Rolling his eyes, Danny stretched by himself and scanned the group. He was about to give up when he noticed the twins walking to the front. One of them wore the maroon jersey while the other wore a black warm up jacket. Danny wondered which was which. He'd have to ask Ethan if there was an easy way to tell them apart. Stretching while everyone gathered, he watched Coach walk towards them to begin the run. They were supposed to complete the trail in a certain amount of time, and he had a feeling the stragglers would be cut. Coach already explained not wanting fat asses on his team.

Hearing the whistle, Danny took off and ran faster until he hit his pace. He would slow when an incline appeared then sprint when the path went downhill; that was how he survived preseason every year. Danny ran near the front of the group and spotted the twins sprinting way up the path with Isaac trailing behind them. How were they going so fast? McCall broke through the group and began to sprint quickly after them. All four were out of sight in the first minute. Coach just needed the four of them to compete at the future meets. What was going through their heads? Wasn't this practice? He couldn't believe they were left behind so easily. Pushing the thought from his mind, Danny focused on maintaining his pace, and others gradually started to slow behind him.

Danny spotted a ponytail to his right as two girls caught up. Some of the girls actually knew how to pace themselves. Most of the guys were falling behind because they sprinted at the very start. The breeze cooled his skin, and he was thankful for autumn's chilliness. Frowning as a girl surpassed him, Danny turned his attention back to their surroundings. He chose a small landmark in the distance and told himself to reach it, selecting a new one when he passed a log or colorful tree. Choosing a large tree next, he noticed the trail curved around it and forced his body to get there. His lungs were starting to burn, but he told himself to keep going. The run would only take longer if he slowed.

His gaze moved to the dirt path, watching the ground. A scream echoed from up ahead and made his head snap to attention. The girl paused at the curve and was holding her hands to her face. Danny ran faster, forgetting his wish to stop. As he reached her side, he stopped and gawked at the tree. "Oh my god," he muttered, moving closer slowly. A boy was strapped to the trunk with blood dripping from his neck, splattering all over his clothes. Danny could tell the boy was dead from his pale skin and lifeless expression. Leather wrapped tightly around his neck, cutting deeply into it. They just discovered the fourth murder.


	3. The Looming Storm

Rolling his pencil back and forth, Danny tried to erase the horrible murder image from his mind. The entire cross country team witnessed the body, and nothing Coach said could calm them. One of the girls called the police, yet they were left in front of the tall oak with the dead senior and no help. Kyle's face drained of life the moment he died. How long had he been attached to the trunk? When did the murderer kill him and leave him there? His killer must have known the body would have been found eventually. Danny didn't want to imagine how Kyle suffered. He stood there, paralyzed in fear, until the cops appeared. The amount of blood plastered his mind, and Ashley's screaming had been unbearable. Ashley wasn't in school today due to her dead boyfriend; the funeral preparations were already underway.

His eyes glanced over an officer at he front of the classroom, explaining the situation to them. Danny wondered how the police could focus on school when they had a serial killer on the loose. A curfew had been placed immediately in hope of saving students in the future. What were the police thinking? People were dieing again, and they seemed as clueless as ever. Why were students being targeted? Could it be someone working at the school? Any motives? There must be a pattern from the deaths. A youth is killed, throat slashed, hit over the head, and strapped to a tree. He vaguely remembered the conversation that Scott and Stiles had inside the locker room.

_"__No, I don't know if he was a virgin, and why are you talking like he's already dead? He's just missing."_

"Missing and presumed dead. He's probably a virgin, Scott. You know who else is a virgin, me! I'm a virgin."

Could they have been talking about Kyle? The news suggested that Kyle was strangled by a dog leash. Scott even mentioned somebody leaving a dog and car behind. Danny glanced over to Stiles on the other side of the room. McCall and Stiles were both looking at each other like they weren't surprised. Did they know something? He knew Scott worked at the vet for a part time job. Kyle might have gone there before he went missing; hell like it mattered now. He would be buried soon.

The door closed behind the policeman and drew his attention. A silence swept over the room and remained there while Mr. Harris prepared for their lesson. Rumors passed through the classes about the Sheriff postponing school, but the police neglected to cancel school in the past. The officer cleared up any discrepancies and promised school would continue during the week, raising his spirits. A curfew restricted their time outside school, and he didn't want to be trapped at home without any activity. If you were apart of a team, the practices took place even earlier; throughout the last curfew, Coach expected them to be in the locker room and ready by the time he arrived. Danny would respect the station's decision to protect them. He believed the sheriff will track the killer down in no time, and another rumor mentioned the FBI catching wind of the incidents.

"Alright, since inertia is a subject of which you all know plenty, why don't we start with momentum," Mr. Harris began, underlining the word momentum on the board.

Sighing, he flipped open his notebook and prepared to take notes. Everything Harris wrote on the chalkboard was fair game for pop quizzes; he learned from the past how his teacher worked. Hearing his name, he looked up to Mr. Harris suddenly and felt his heart skip a beat.

"Danny, what do we know about momentum?"

At least, he knew the answer. Danny hated looking like an idiot in front of the entire class. Mr. Harris usually called on him or Lydia after someone else answers his question completely wrong; he felt pressured every time he had to answer. "It's a product of mass velocity. Erm, the more mass of something is, the faster it's going," he began, stopping when Isaac cut him off.

"Mr. Harris, can I use the bathroom, please?" Isaac asked, seeming anxious.

Danny propped his head up and watched Mr. Harris gesture to the door. He started to scribble down a few notes and hoped he'd be left alone for the rest of class. Tugging his green shirt forward, he tried to focus his thoughts until the bell rang. He wanted to talk with Ethan about something important; he had to have seen Kyle's body yesterday. If Ethan was worrying again, Danny wanted to explain that the police would take of the job. Faint laughter from the class stopped his train of thought.

"I have to go to the bathroom too," Scott insisted, standing beside his desk.

"One at a time."

His gaze followed Isaac as he slipped out of the room. If Danny didn't know better, Isaac planned to go anywhere but the bathroom. He seemed a little tense when he walked in this morning. Isaac left his stuff behind, so he probably needed to get some air. After what they saw yesterday, the entire team deserved a day off.

"But, I-I really have to go like medical emergency have to go," Scott protested, trembling in urgency.

"Mr. McCall if your bladder suddenly exploded and urine began to pour from every orifice, I would still respond one at a time. Is that enough hyperbole for you, or would you like me to come up with something more vivid?" Harris suggested in his monotone voice.

"No, no that's pretty good," McCall muttered, taking his seat reluctantly.

Danny listened to the laughter and looked back to Scott. Hasn't he realized how Harris works by now? All teachers know the bathroom trick to waste class time. He glimpsed the time and debated how long until Isaac returned. Turning his attention to Harris, he noticed his distracted expression as if one of his students were being disruptive again. Teachers always seemed to know when somebody was acting up, using their sixth sense to sniff out trouble. A loud bang made everyone stare at the wall. Was somebody beating the lockers? Mr. Harris went straight for the door and threw it open swiftly. Students began to stand and file towards the commotion, so Danny followed suit.

"What is this? What's going on?" Harris demanded.

Danny moved into the hall and gawked at Isaac standing over Ethan. He noticed blood smeared across Ethan's face and immediately went to help him up. "You alright?" he asked, putting a hand on Ethan's back.

"He just came at me," Ethan muttered, looking to Danny.

"Isaac, what the hell did you do?" Mr. Harris asked sternly, crossing his arms.

Frowning at the blood, Danny watched Isaac stand over both of them. He wore a smug expression like he was disgusted with Ethan. Anger flashed inside of him, and he opened his mouth to say something. Ethan tugged on his arm with a slight shake of his head. His eyes softened as Mr. Harris took Isaac aside; he began to assess the damage done to his friend. The crowd stood there and surveyed them like the fight would pick up from where it left off. "I'll help you get cleaned up," Danny offered, standing carefully.

Ethan nodded in agreement and held onto Danny's waist to keep steady. His brother might have outdone himself. He locked eyes with McCall for seconds and refused to break character. Deucalion told them to mess with Derek's pack, and it was more fun than he expected. Ducking his head, Ethan knew Danny would have said something regrettable though. If he hadn't heard his pulse jump, Danny might have pushed Isaac's limits too far. Dragging Danny into this mess would end badly; unlike him, he could take a few punches and be fine later.

"Everyone go back inside. I'm taking Mr. Lahey to the office. Danny, take him to the nurse," Harris ordered, nodding for Isaac to start walking.

He backed against the lockers and gave Ethan something to lean against. Danny waited for the prying eyes to retreat. Flecks of blood decked the tile and lockers. What had Isaac done in such a short time? Ethan is the last guy he'd want to pick a fight with. "I'll take you to the bathroom. The nurse's office smells horrible," he stated, stepping forward. Seeing a nod, Danny pressed onward and made sure to keep up with Ethan's pace. "I'm really sorry."

"Don't be. It's not your fault," Ethan assured, smiling despite his injuries.

Positioning his back to bathroom door, Danny felt relieved when they entered. He wondered if Ethan was still bleeding. From what he saw, Ethan had a busted lip and several bruises forming. "Almost there," he mumbled, moving to the sinks.

"I got it."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, he didn't kill me. I've been through worse."

He helped Ethan lean against a sink and stared at the blood. "You'll be lucky if he didn't give you a black eye," Danny insisted, sounding concerned. Snatching a handful of paper towels, he folded them together and wet them. "Here, you can clean yourself up," he added, passing Ethan the makeshift rag. He turned away for a few moments and traced his finger across the porcelain sink. "Why would Isaac attack you?"

Ethan paused in wiping his blood. "I don't know. I've seen him in class, but we haven't talked at all. Have I done something to make him angry?"

Danny gripped the sink and felt a pit form in his stomach. What was Isaac's problem? Ethan was one of the nicest guys he's ever met. "You've done nothing wrong. I can't think of anything that would set him off. I don't know what goes on with Isaac anymore. He might have snapped, and you happened to be in his way. He's an orphan. His father was murdered last year, but he was abusive to Isaac. I think it changed him. Nobody knows where he lives because he comes and goes. He has no right to attack you," he explained, clenching his fists.

"You mean, he has no family?" Ethan asked, frowning. He leaned closer to the mirror to dab the blood away, watching Danny in the reflection.

"Not that I know of. I feel really sorry for him. You know what, Isaac is normally a nice guy. I don't think anybody understands him. Can you imagine losing both of your parents and having nowhere to go? I'm sure he's not on the streets or anything. He must have relatives in town. I just can't imagine. Some people are just evil. I always wondered how he got the bruises," Danny muttered, hanging his head. Scott took care of Isaac and brought him under his wing which made him glad; Isaac needed someone to count on.

"Do you think I should say something to him? I was too stunned to fight back because he came out of nowhere. He slammed my head against the lockers, and I couldn't get back up. I'm glad that your teacher heard before he really hurt me." Ethan pressed the paper towel to his lip, trying to make the bleeding stop. His injuries should heal by the end of the day. Scott already broke his jaw during track practice, and it still ached like hell.

"No, don't talk to him. You could set him off. Maybe, you should warn Aiden too. I think I might be able to tell you apart, but Isaac won't be able to. Your brother seems like the type that doesn't take shit from anybody."

"Oh, that's my hothead of a brother alright. If I told him, he'd probably go kick his ass. I guess I won't say anything. I will if he approaches me though. My Dad will be so pissed if I get into trouble. He has to be the enforcer after all," Ethan assured, leaning his back against the sink. Narrowing his gaze, he gave Danny a faint smile. "How can you tell us apart already? Most can't this soon."

Danny chuckled as Ethan described his brother. It had to be personal if anybody attacked his twin. "Yeah, my parents don't go for trouble either. They are pretty cool though, really understanding," he explained, smiling. He had been afraid to tell his parents about being gay, yet both of them secretly expected it for years. After that, they encouraged him to come out to his friends, and nobody teased him about it. Sure, there were a few looks at first, but Jackson helped keep the student body under control. The question made him laugh at his skepticism. "Well, your hair is shorter than your brother's."

"Aiden could cut his hair. C'mon, not anything obvious," Ethan countered.

"I haven't know you that long. I'm working on it. I've only seen you two together from a distance."

"And you said you could tell us apart."

"I can, sort of. By the way, you and your brother have wheels. You guys were gone. I know Scott and Isaac have speed, but you left us all behind. I mean, you could get a full ride with speed like that." Danny exclaimed, crossing his arms. "I thought I might be able to catch up and talk with you, but you guys were gone."

"Well, we have always been fast. I can't remember anybody that has beaten us in a race. We have no idea where the speed came from, but both us inherited it from somewhere. Between you and me, I'm faster and smarter than my brother."

Laughing at Ethan's teasing, he shook his head slightly. "I'm not going to challenge you to a race," he replied. As he watched Ethan, he felt his smile disappear. Ethan had blood on the side of his head, and he remembered the loud bang from earlier. _He slammed my head against the lockers, and I couldn't get back up. I'm glad that your teacher heard before he really hurt me._"Are you sure you're okay?" he insisted, walking closer. "Let me see. You have a huge bump on the side of you head." Danny took the paper towels from Ethan's hand and urged his friend to hold still. He held Ethan's face either way and dabbed at a streak of dried blood, searching for a bleeding wound.

"I really hope I'm not interrupting anything."

Danny whirled around and saw Coach standing at the door. This time, his face turned a bright shade of red; he didn't realize Ethan was showing his own surprise. He was mortified for Coach teasing him about his sexuality and catching them together again. "There's nothin-"

"I don't want to know. Why do I keep running into you two out of class?" Coach asked, looking very bemused.

"Ethan got into a fight with Isaac, so I was helping him clean up."

"I would have suggested something else entirely. Wait, Isaac, not Isaac Lahey? Don't tell me it was Lahey! We have a cross country meet this weekend."

"It was Isaac, and since when do we have a meet? We've only had one practice!" Danny retorted.

"Shoot! We need Lahey. Great, now I get to talk to the principal," Coach grumbled and walked to the first stall. He opened the stall door and turned back, watching both of them. "Danny, you're coming, right? Make sure you bring your boyfriend because we'll need him and his brother. It's Ethan?"

Ethan narrowed his gaze and nodded as if forgetting his voice. "Yeah, and we'll be there."

"Yes! The other team won't know what hit'em!"

Danny watched the stall slam shut, and he stood there, paralyzed in embarrassment. It took him a few seconds to realize they needed to get out of the bathroom. He threw the paper towel away and grabbed Ethan's hand to lead him out; they were in the hall before Danny noticed what he was doing. Letting go quickly, Danny wished he had pockets to hide his hands in. He felt his face grow extremely warm. Even if he had a slight crush on Ethan, it didn't mean that he felt the same way! Ethan probably knew by now which made it worse. He might have ruined their friendship by not being able to control himself. "I'm really sorry about that."

"About Coach? You said he was weird," Ethan murmured, rubbing his head. He saw the shock in Danny's eyes and watched him recover. Coach snuck up on both of them though. Ethan never heard the man's footsteps, or maybe, he had tuned them out. His heart skipped a beat when the man spoke because he truly surprised him. He is usually more attentive to his surroundings, and it rubbed his instincts the wrong way. "We better get back to class before he comes out."

His response stunned him, and Danny had been sure he screwed up. "He only cares about winning. I guess we have a meet this weekend now. I wonder where exactly. Our school always gets the short end of the stick." he stated, glancing to the bathroom. "Yeah, we should. He won't get us in trouble because he needs us for the team. I'm sure Isaac wouldn't be allowed to go to this meet unless Coach has a say about it. Do you want me to walk you back?" Danny asked, wanting to kick himself. He was going way too far with this.

"No, thanks. I think I can make it back. My class is just around the corner. I appreciate the help though," Ethan assured, waving as he walked off.

Danny stood there and made sure Ethan didn't collapse. He smiled when his friend made it to the corner and felt glad he could still walk. The fight didn't look or sound pretty. Turning on his heel, he made his way back to Harris' classroom. His teacher would be wondering what happened to him. He was supposed to drop Ethan off at the nurse and come straight back to class. Mr. Harris' tall form caught him off guard and shot him into a state of panic. Had the man come looking for him? Danny tried to keep a straight face and prepared several excuses in his head. He would have to be crafty to not make a fool of himself.

"Thanks, Danny. I would have asked somebody else, but you were the only one not making a spectacle about it. Mr. Lahey should know better with everything going on. His record is against him after all. I need to speak with you later. Can you see me after school? It's about your project, don't worry. I think I might have discovered some information that might help you out."

Nodding his head, he gave an uneasy smile. The offer surprised him, but he knew better than to refuse. "Sure, I'm not doing anything later. I got a few books from the library, but I haven't found anything helpful yet."

"Well, just come see me. I'm grading yesterday's pretests, so I'll be here awhile," Mr. Harris suggested, opening the classroom door. "After you."

He glanced to the door and saw that he was already standing in front of the classroom. When did he get here? Nodding again, he entered and heard utter silence after hushed whispers. Everybody must have been talking about the fight. A few people were still speaking softly with Stiles and McCall among them. He took his seat and watched Mr. Harris regain control of his class.

"Now, will you turn your attention back to the board? I still have a lesson to teach, and we don't have a lot of time which means homework."

The rest of the day passed gradually, filled with note taking and dull lectures. Real classes were beginning after all the paperwork had been turned in. This would be the first night they had homework too which thrilled everyone. Their last class finally let out, and Danny found himself organizing his locker. He stared at the heavy volumes and sighed to himself. Almost all of the books were needed for tonight's workload. Junior year is supposed to be the hardest year of them all; the amount of homework already scared him. It didn't look like he'd have time to leave his room let alone think of breaking the new curfew. "This is too much," he grumbled, grabbing his history text. He stuffed two books into his bag, forcing them between binders. His business book would have to be carried by hand.

Danny started down the hall with the intentions of meeting Mr. Harris. If his teacher was offering help, he must have found something very useful. The topic he was researching was very remote which made the project so crucial. He could get a college's attention if the project went successfully. His athletics angle may not cut it, so he was starting to rely on his grades. Danny also joined the band to give himself another fighting chance. Learning to play the trumpet wasn't half bad either. His eyes noticed a few skid marks across the tile, and he couldn't help but crack a stupid grin. What had Aiden been thinking?

During last period, Aiden drove his bike straight down the hallway. Everyone in the classrooms heard it and came out to investigate. The bike hadn't been quiet, considering the terrain of a school building. Had it been a prank? He was certain nobody could be that stupid. Aiden turned a deep purplish color like he was going explode, clenching his fists. He could have sworn he saw one of his veins pop out. Ethan went straight over to his brother, but Ms. Blake beat him to the punch. The new English teacher was already lecturing him; it was really comical because Aiden dwarfed her in size. Danny heard the word, suspension, being thrown around; other teachers herded them back to class before he knew for sure. He planned on asking Ethan for the whole story later.

He walked into the chemistry room and paused in the doorway. "Is Mr. Harris here?" Danny asked, looking around. Stiles, Lydia, and another man stood near Harris' desk with worried expressions. Who was the other man? He had seen him before, but Danny couldn't put his finger on it.

"No, Mr. Harris had to leave early," Stiles answered, smiling.

"Oh, did he say when he'd be back?"

"He took his bag with him, so I'm assuming he left for the day."

"Thanks, Stiles," Danny muttered and backed into the hall. It must have been urgent if Mr. Harris left so quickly. He'd ask his teacher about the information tomorrow then. Danny started to walk away when he almost ran into a blind man. His heart nearly leapt into his throat because he came so close to plowing him. "Whoa, sorry!" he apologized.

"No, it's my fault. I have to watch where I'm going after all. It looks like it's going to storm out there. You better drive safely."

"Thanks." he said, gripping his bag strap tightly. Danny watched the man continue on his way, moving his cane back and forth. What was he doing here? Should he help him? The hall ended abruptly in a wall of lockers and went directly right. Biting his lip, he started after the man, but the man turned like he knew where he was going. He shook his head and let out a breath. Danny would have felt awful if the man crashed into the wall. As he left the building, a peal of thunder warned him of an oncoming storm. Danny started to hurry to his car and noticed the two, dark bikes out front; Ethan was probably waiting for Aiden in the office. "I hope they don't get caught in the rain."


	4. The Glen Capri

Standing in front of the yellow bus, Danny huffed and glanced at their small cross country team. Nearly everyone bailed because of short notice and traveling distance. Coach upstaged their weekend and trapped them in a bus ride all day. He spotted Scott and Stiles off to the side and wondered if the twins would show. Danny adjusted his sports bag to his shoulder and stared down at his thin Nike jacket. This would be miserable if Ethan didn't come; Taylor stood off to the side with his girlfriend. His old lacrosse friend seemed more interested in her lately.

Coach popped his head out of the bus and blew his whistle loudly. "Get on! We're leaving in five minutes!" he shouted, waving a clipboard. He backed up and scanned his team curiously, checking off names. "Lahey? Where's Lahey?"

"Right here, Coach." Isaac shot Scott a glance and pushed Boyd towards the entrance.

"This is so stupid. We shouldn't be here," Boyd grumbled.

Danny rubbed his bag's strap and ignored the conversation. He waited and watched people file onto the bus with their luggage. It's a good thing few people came. The girls packed more than necessary for a weekend trip.

"Danny, have you seen the twins? They're supposed to be here," Coach urged. He stared at his clipboard like he was willing to wait. Coach might hunt the twins down if it meant having them for the meet.

"Aiden is suspended. I don't think he'll be coming. I haven't talked to Ethan."

"Aiden is suspended?"

"Yeah, Coach. He drove his bike into the school. You didn't hear about that?" Danny questioned. He climbed into the bus and heard snickers from Isaac's direction. Rolling his eyes, he walked past them and dumped his bag in the back. His iPhone remained in his pocket for the long ride. A moan caught his attention. "McCall, are you alright? You don't look so good," Danny said, standing over Stiles.

Scott sat up straighter and shook his head insistently. "No, it's just the nerves. Don't worry about it."

"Yeah, he's always like this Danny. I just have to give him a pep talk!" Stiles supported. He clapped Scott on the shoulder and initiated another groan. "Uh, we'll work on it."

Danny turned to pick a seat and spotted Ethan halfway inside the bus. A small smile spread when he heard Coach berating him. "What do you mean Aiden isn't coming?"

"He got suspended, but he really wanted to come. He'll be here next time," Ethan assured Coach.

Coach shook his head and returned to checking his clipboard. "I think that's everyone. We can leave now," he told the bus driver. Considering the numerous empty seats, Coach didn't care.

The bus engine turned on and rumbled loudly, jarring the entire vehicle. The bus shot forward before Danny took his seat. Ethan stumbled forward and caught himself, cursing. "Can't they wait five seconds?" Danny muttered. He slid into the seat before the driver could slam on the brakes; Ethan quickly sat down beside him and dropped his bag into an empty seat. "I thought you weren't going to make it."

"Me too. My Dad was so mad when he heard about Aiden. Aiden got his bike taken away except when he has to drive to school. He'll wish he came, but the school suspended him. He's working around the house now. It's kind of funny. He's such an idiot," Ethan explained, shaking his head.

"Did he say why he did it?"

"No. It makes me wonder if someone dropped him on his head. Way to make an impression, dumb ass," Ethan grumbled about his brother.

Danny laughed and stretched his legs beneath the seat in front of them. He pulled out his phone and flipped through the apps. "You know, we're going to be in here all day."

Ethan groaned and sulked beside him. He turned and gave Danny a short stare, ignoring the two betas up a few seats. "Why is this meet so far away?"

"Beats me. I've never even heard of where we're going. I have Harry Potter on my phone. We could kill two hours, or I have music," Danny offered. He brought snacks in his bag but forgot his pillow at the last second. Sleeping the entire ride wasn't such a bad idea. He plugged in his earphones and gave one to Ethan.

"Just shuffle it," Ethan dared, smirking.

Shuffling the music, Danny shook his head and giggled when his embarrassing songs played. He felt his friend nudge him while he stared out the window to occupy himself. Beacon Hills disappeared as the bus turned onto a back road. He studied their surroundings and frowned at the grey sky. Where was the sun? Slumping, he listened to the music and closed his eyes. Danny heard Ethan laugh and felt his fingers brushing over his hand. He released his phone and let Ethan take it from him. The volume turned down moments later. The soft song slowly lulled him to sleep.

A loud vibration woke him from his slumber. Danny blinked his eyes open and wiped his eyes. He noticed Ethan reading a text message first. "What's going on?" he asked, sitting up. His phone continued to play music, so he plucked the earbud out of his ear. Yawning, he stretched his legs forward and felt his body going stiff. "How long have we been on here?"

Ethan smiled and put his phone away. "You fell asleep as soon as we left Beacon Hills. I don't know where we are," he explained, nodding to the window.

Danny pressed his head to the glass and peered at the landscape. Clouds clustered in dark groups, flashing lightning. Thunder rumbled and echoed loudly. He pressed his cheek to the window and watched a large mountainous cliff rise to their right. Sparse grass grew around the dry soil. The left side of the road edged along a sharp incline. A curt whistle startled him. His eyes flashed to Coach staring out the windshield.

"Back to your seat!" Coach snapped, pointing at a boy. The boy smirked, grabbed his bag, and retreated.

"They've been seat hopping for the past half hour. They're trying to reach the front without Coach noticing. That kid just won, but I'm sick of the whistling. It's been nonstop," Ethan complained.

"We're nowhere near Beacon Hills," Danny observed.

"We're nowhere near anywhere." Ethan glanced to his phone and checked the time. "It's been two and a half hours. Time is going by so slow."

Danny turned his music off and groaned at his phone's battery. The low signal drained half of it. "Great, my phone is going to die before we get there." Pocketing his phone, he sunk in their seat and stared out the window. The bus collectively remained silent as if the long ride drained their energy. He allowed his thoughts to drift until Ethan shifted to the left. Danny caught Ethan staring at his phone with a worried expression. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah, why?" Ethan replied quickly, smirking. He lowered his phone to his lap and tried to relax. Deucalion should have let him stay behind and help Ennis; their leader wanted him to monitor Scott instead. Ennis was more important than a stupid meet. His gaze softened when he noticed Danny's concern.

"You've checked your phone three times in last five minutes."

"Waiting for a message."

"Anything important?"

"No," Ethan insisted, smiling. He faced the front and clenched his fists. Aiden needed to text him back. Ethan hated waiting while Ennis was dying. They may not be able to find a healer in time, and he'd be trapped on this bus! "Nothing," he muttered under his breath.

Danny locked eyes with Ethan like he didn't believe him. He waited for a different answer until the landscape regained his attention. It was none of his business anyway. The bus shot over a bump in the road, making Danny slam his knee. "Oh man," he grumbled, pulling his legs closer. He heard Ethan snickering to himself. "Shut it."

"What?"

"This bus shouldn't be driving this fast," Danny muttered. He crossed his arms and reluctantly stretched his legs out again. Relaxing, he stared at the landscape and watched it change. The rolling mountains twisted the road and loomed over them on the right. Danny pressed his temple to the window and tried occupying himself. His thoughts drifted to his homework tucked away in his bag. He'd complete some tonight, but he also wanted to have some fun.

Half an hour ticked by slowly. The sky cleared to some degree as the storm calmed down. In his peripheral, he watched Ethan check his phone again. Boys continued their seat hopping game. Danny smiled faintly at their childish behavior. They needed some amusement in this cramped bus. He hated the bus' broken radio, not like they'd receive a signal out here.

Coach whistled with his fingers this time. "Two of you, back in your seats!" he demanded, pointing to two boys.

Double taking, Coach noticed Jared's pale face and stared in disbelief. "Jared, again? Carsick? Every time? How do you even get on the bus? Look at me! No, don't look at me. Look at the horizon. Keep your eyes, keep your eyes on the horizon." Coach quit leaning over Jared because the boy smelled ill. He spotted Scott slumped in the back seat with a pained expression. "McCall, not you too!"

Scott sat up and put on a brave face, groaning. "Eh no Coach, I'm good!"

Danny tuned into the conversation and didn't notice the approaching traffic. The bus slammed on its brakes and lurched everyone forward. Ethan reacted fast enough and caught his arm. Smiling, Danny turned away to prevent himself from blushing. "Thanks, man." Narrowing his eyes, he followed the endless line of traffic. "You have got to be kidding me."

"Did you bring pillows?" Ethan asked sarcastically, groaning.

Danny absently shook his head and listened to the irritated honking. Was there a wreck? The line of traffic refused to move, appalling him. They were just sitting here. He wouldn't be surprised if a rock tumbled down and blocked the road. The bus shifted forward a few feet and stopped again. They were moving at least.

Suddenly, his phone alerted him about a text message. He removed his cell and glanced to his battery. It might survive the trip. Checking his messages, he gave his phone a weird stare. _Find out why Ethan keeps checking his phone._ Turning, he spotted Stiles watching him expectantly and beaming. Stiles pointed at him and raised his phone. Danny shook his head and mouthed 'no'. He watched Stiles give him a disappointed look; Danny turned back around. He began to put his phone away when Stiles texted him again - _just do it!_

_No._

_ASK HIM._

Danny whirled back around and shook his head again. Stiles raised his hands, wanting an answer from him. Why did Stiles need to know? He faced the front and stared at the text message. Danny quickly replied and noticed Ethan glancing at him. He gave Ethan a meek stare and sent the text. _NO. I like this guy. What's wrong with you?_

_It's important. PLEASE._

Huffing, Danny pocketed his phone and ignored Stiles. He hoped Ethan didn't see the texts. The first beep came and then the next. The beeps went off one after the other as Stiles spammed him. He forced himself to stare out the window; he felt Ethan's eyes boring into him. Stiles, stop! The beeps refused to stop. Danny clenched his fists in his lap and refused to budge. Somehow, the beeps arrived in renewed speed, so he gave Ethan an uneasy smile. Danny felt his cheeks growing warm.

"Something wrong?" Ethan finally asked, exasperated. How many texts was Danny getting? His phone blew up faster than the car horns outside.

One last text went off as Danny opened his mouth. "A-actually, I was wondering the same thing about you."

Ethan gave Danny a weird look and turned around, glaring at Stiles and Scott. They hurriedly ducked behind the seat to hide. He couldn't believe them! They needed to leave Danny out of it! He nudged Danny for him to turn around. "They're so weird," Ethan mumbled as an excuse. Ethan saw Danny's genuinely concerned expression along with his embarrassment. It brought a warm smile to his face. "One of my relatives is really sick. My Dad and Aiden are staying with him. I'm just worried. My Dad made me come on this trip to get my mind off it."

Danny frowned and felt ashamed for bringing it up. Shaking his head, he sent Stiles a text to pacify him. "I hope your relative gets better," he mumbled. Glancing away, he reached up and rubbed his face. The loud horns blared around them as the bus moved a few feet every five minutes.

"Jared, I'm warning you. I'm an emphatic vomiter. You throw up, I'll throw up right back on you, and it will be profoundly disgusting," Coach warned.

"Please don't talking about throwing up. It's not good," Jared replied, moaning.

"I might throw up on you just to make a point, Jared."

"It's not good. It's not good."

"Now the rest of you, don't think we're going to miss this meet because of a slight traffic jam or a minor tornado warning, Jared. We're going to make this thing! Nothing is going to stop us! Stilinski, put your hand down!" Coach shouted.

"You know, there's like a food exit a half a mile up. I don't know if we stop and maybe traff-," Stiles suggested

"We're not going to stop," Coach interrupted.

"Okay, but if we sto-,"

"Stilinski!" Coach roared, blowing his whistle loudly. "Shut it! Seriously, it's a little bus! Stop asking me questions!"

Ethan leaned forward and wanted to hide. All the yelling, whistling, and car horns was giving him a headache. "He's the only one shouting. Why?" Ethan lamented.

Danny shrugged and wanted to throw Coach's whistle out the window. He'll blow everyone's eardrums. His eyes widened when Stiles got up, nudging Ethan. Was Stiles trying to provoke Coach more?

"Coach, it's five minutes for a bathroom break, kay? We've been on this thing for like three hours," Stiles protested.

A whistle sounded.  
"It's 60 miles to the next rest stop-"

Coach whistled again.

Stiles took a deep breath. "Being cooped up for hours is not good-"

Another whistle.

"You know our bladders aren't exactly-"

A shorter whistle.

"Coach-"

Whistle.

"Can you-"

Whistle.

"Please-"

Whistle, whistle, whistle.

"Stop-"

Whistle.

"Let me talk!" Stiles shouted, frustrated.

Coached laughed and whistled again.

Stiles opened his mouth, but no words came out. Coach blew his whistle as loud as possible until his face turned red. "Get back to your seat, Stilinski!"

"OKAY!" Stiles yelled and retreated.

Ethan closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead. Why was this happening to him? He caught the two betas trying to cover their ears. Ethan glared at Stiles for irritating Coach, and he wasn't the only one. "If he whistles one more time," Ethan warned.

"You grab him. I'll take the whistle. Just you wait," Danny grumbled. He closed his eyes until he heard a gurgling sound; a loud splat came next. "What was that?" Danny gave Ethan a concerned look.

Ethan gagged and buried his nose into his jacket. Somebody threw up in front of them. He closed his eyes and tried to breathe through his mouth. A few students migrated to the back of the bus and sat in the middle.

"Ew," Danny complained, pressing his sleeve to his nose. "Jared, just puked," he resolved.

"Jared!" Coached shouted in alarm. "I said eyes on the horizon!" Shaking his head, Coach moved to the bus driver. "Get us to that rest stop!"

The bus heaved and turned out of the traffic. They rumbled along the uneven side of the road, speeding to safety. The bus shot over numerous holes and rough patches, bouncing them up and down. A rest stop appeared around the side of a hill, and the bus went its full speed. Lurching to a halt, the bus driver opened the doors before the bus rolled to a stop. Students pushed past Coach in their hurry to escape. Danny shoved Ethan in front of him, and they both stumbled out of the bus.

Ethan walked far away from the bus with his nose covered. "Oh my god," he exclaimed, breathing in fresh air. "That was so bad."

Danny stopped beside him and bent over. "We're walking. We're going to get our stuff and walk."

Eyeing him, Ethan nodded and felt the sick feeling pass. The puke smelled so putrid. He gave Danny a reassuring smile and watched the cluster of students. "We should probably get back." He gave Danny's arm a slight tug, leading him to the far edge of the group. Ethan cringed at the strong scent of aerosol; it made his nose burn.

Studying the bus driver, Danny listened to Coach shout profanities whilst cleaning up the mess. "I really don't want to-." Danny never finished his sentence.

Isaac burst out of nowhere and punched Ethan in the jaw. Ethan stumbled into a tree, and Isaac refused to stop. He hated Ethan for coming to Beacon Hills, for messing with them and killing people. This time, he'd beat Ethan up for real. His brother wasn't here to save him. He saw a flash of ruby blood as he busted Ethan's lip. Isaac knew Ethan was not fighting back; the alpha was allowing him to make a scene. He didn't care. Gripping Ethan's jacket, he struggled to hold him up when Ethan began sinking to the ground. He put his anger into every punch - each growing in strength.

"Isaac, Isaac!" Coach yelled in alarm, running over.

Danny stood there, paralyzed. The team crowded around Isaac and made it difficult to see. He shoved past people and latched onto Isaac's torso, trying to jerk him away. Danny groaned and stumbled backward; Isaac shoved him away with frightening strength.

"Isaac!" Scott yelled over the chants and jeering. Everyone stopped and stared at McCall. It's like Scott snapped Isaac out of a trance.

Seeing his opportunity, Danny pushed past Isaac. He knelt beside Ethan and held his head up. "Oh, man," he muttered. Ethan tugged at his jacket to help himself sit up. "It's going to be okay," Danny urged, seeing the blood. Ethan seemed barely conscious. Danny motioned to stand, but McCall and Stiles already led Isaac away. His hand rested on Ethan's face, trying to calm him. It happened in a matter of moments. What did Ethan ever do to Isaac?

"Can you stand? Ethan?" he asked softly.

He glanced around as the other students retreated. Coach approached them and knelt down to assess the damage. "I'm going to kill, Lahey," he grumbled. "There's a bathroom over there. Go get cleaned up. We'll leave as soon as you're finished."

Danny nodded and wrapped his arm around Ethan's waist. Coach helped him until Ethan stood; Danny tightened his grip around him. He felt Ethan wrap an arm around his shoulders. This was worse than last time, so much worse. Isaac wouldn't have stopped, and everybody just watched him do it. He slowly led Ethan inside the restroom and realized he wanted to sit. Ethan sunk to the floor and reached to wipe blood from his face.

Quickly, Danny stood and snatched paper towels from the dispenser, wetting them. "Ethan, I'm really sorry." he apologized, feeling so bad. He dabbed at his blood. It's too soon. This happened a few days ago. Why did Isaac target Ethan? He's new here! His fingers ran through Ethan's hair absently, listening to him moan. "You're going to be alright." Danny said this, but he saw the bruises beginning to flare. "Ethan," he trailed off, frowning.

Ethan groaned and felt his face throbbing from the punches. The bruises would heal, and he no longer tasted blood. He had a role to play. The tears never came - never filled his eyes. Ethan suffered worse in the past. A fight like this paled in comparison. He glanced to Danny's face when he felt his fingers running through his hair. "Danny."

"Sh, just stay still and relax." Danny wiped the blood away and wet another paper towel. What if his face began swelling? They were in the middle of nowhere! Gently, his thumb brushed across Ethan's cheek. "I cleaned the blood, but your face is bruising right here," Danny indicating, touching it softly. Danny hung his head and felt bad for being powerless to stop Isaac. "Why does he attack you?"

Tugging Danny's sleeve, Ethan tried to reassure him. "I-I don't know." He averted his gaze when he felt Danny brushing his cheek. The pain disappeared, replaced by something else.

"Can you stand? We have to get back." Danny didn't wait for an answer. He leaned down and helped Ethan to his feet, keeping an arm around his waist. Everyone waited on the bus when they exited the restroom. The bus doors opened for them, and Danny entered first to lead Ethan. Isaac sat in the front seat with Coach furiously glaring at him.

"Is he alright?" Coach asked, concerned.

"Yeah, he'll be fine," Danny replied, shooting Isaac a glare. He hoped Isaac got expelled for this. The school couldn't turn a blind eye.

Inching into their seat, he helped Ethan sit down. The bus driver thankfully waited until Ethan sat down to speed away. Danny's hand rested on Ethan's arm. "Hey, you can rest if you want. I don't mind," he whispered. Danny smiled as Ethan leaned against him, trying to get comfortable. Ethan's head rested against his shoulder; he held onto Ethan's sleeve for comfort. Rubbing Ethan's arm, he wanted him to take a nap and regain his strength. They'd be cooped up until early evening.

At least, the traffic passed, and Coach refrained from whistling. Ethan fell asleep against Danny, breathing quietly.

Danny barely noticed when the sun set nor when the sky grew dark. He only saw darkness outside the bus. People were already sleeping from the tedious bus ride. Shifting slowly, he didn't want to stir Ethan. He heard Coach speaking to the bus driver about a motel. Danny desperately wanted to sleep. Everyone wanted off this bus. It smelled like tainted aerosol and sweaty gym bags.

"Guys, we found a motel to stay at. We'll get there in a few minutes," Coach warned.

Shaking Ethan, he smiled when his friend sat up with a confused expression. "Are you feeling better? You slept the rest of the way," Danny pointed out.

Ethan muttered something and rubbed his head. He felt a bruise along his cheekbone; he felt rejuvenated from the long nap. "I'm good. How much longer?"

"We're staying at a motel tonight." Danny peered out the window when they approached a complex. A neon sign illuminated the air in red letters: Motel Glen Capri. The walls were pasty peach, contrasting with the bright maroon doors. Few vehicles scattered the parking lot. The Glen Capri didn't seem to be very popular. Danny still wondered where their road trip took them. There's been no civilization for miles. Students began unloading with their luggage. He grabbed Ethan's arm and wanted him to wait.

Lydia and Allison passed behind Stiles. When did they get on the bus? Did he miss something? "Here," Danny offered, grabbing Ethan's bag. He waited for Ethan to take it and grabbed his own cross country bag. Resting it on his shoulder, Danny sighed at the heavy weight. He jammed it full of clothes, snacks, and textbooks. "I'm so tired," Danny complained, yawning.

"I've seen worse," Scott commented, shrugging sheepishly.

"Where have you seen worse?" Stiles questioned incredulously.

Coach blew his loud whistle and regained their attention. "Listen up! The meet has been pushed til tomorrow. This is the closest motel with the most vacancies and the least amount of good judgment to accepting a bunch of degenerates like yourselves. You'll be pairing up. Choose wisely." Coach raised the room keys and extended them to students.

Danny walked forward with Ethan and took a random key. "I'm ready to sleep. What about you? We're going have to wake up early for the meet," he whined.

"And I'll have no sexual perversions perpetrated by you little deviants! Got that? Keep your dirty little hands to your dirty little selves," Coach called after them.

Studying their key, their room was on the ground floor. He led them along the line of red doors, stopping just below a metal staircase. Danny watched two boys walk up the creaking stairs. "That really does not look safe."

"Yeah, I'm getting a bad feeling," Ethan agreed. Something was off about this place.

A chilly wind blew by and ushered them inside. Danny entered and stopped when he saw the king bed. A smirk fell over his features as he tossed the key aside. He dropped his bag on the bed and crossed to the lamps. "These things are collecting dust," Danny mumbled, lighting up the room. He heard Ethan enter the bathroom off to the side.

Unpacking, Danny sorted through his cross county bag and removed his books. He stacked them on the bed and found his phone charger. Dumping his bag on a chair, he plugged his phone into the outlet. The moonlight spread through the window with its white glow. He pulled the faded curtains closed, but the moonlight still passed through. Rolling his eyes, Danny kicked off his nikes and sat down on the bed. The mattress surprisingly had no lumps. "Lights out thirty minutes tops?" Danny asked.

Ethan cracked the door and leaned over the counter, staring at his reflection. His face should black and blue after Isaac's attack. He hoped Danny didn't notice anything strange. Hearing Danny brought a smile to his face. Ethan noticed his red flush in the mirror. Maybe getting beaten up was worth it. Danny's scent surrounded him and filled him with longing. "Yeah, thirty minutes tops," Ethan replied. He left the bathroom and grinned affectionately at Danny - no longer pretending.

Danny slowly grinned. He stared at Ethan's top buttons. They'd been buttoned minutes ago. Shaking his head, he grabbed a binder and started to open it. His body froze when he felt Ethan's hand on his cheek. Danny recognized the look in Ethan's eyes; it's the same one his ex used to give him. Their lips hovered inches apart until Ethan kissed him. Ethan literally took his breath away; he couldn't breathe for a few moments. Ethan chuckled, a sweet noise, as he unbuttoned his shirt. Danny scooted back on the bed and laid his head against some pillows. This seemed too surreal for him.

Ethan dropped his jean shirt to the ground and clambered onto the bed. The mattress squeaked under his added weight. He stared into Danny's brown eyes; they lit up with amusement, happiness. Ethan couldn't remember the last time he wanted something so bad. He leaned forward and pressed his lips to Danny's, looming over him.

Danny felt happiness swelling inside him. He noticed the muscles in Ethan's arms, his broad shoulders, his abs; he was beautiful. Ethan no longer was a friend. When was Ethan ever a friend? Ethan was something much more. Danny wrapped his arms around his exposed back, tracing his fingers across his skin. His head tilted up and met Ethan's lips, and he trembled with disbelief. Its been so long since he's kissed someone. Ethan kept him pressed to the bed. His arms were wrapped possessively around his torso.

A hefty thunk broke the kiss. Ethan's boot nudged the textbooks off the bed. "Sorry," he apologized.

"It's just books," Danny assured.

Ethan gave him a funny stare and shifted to the side, getting comfortable. "Tch, you brought homework? Should I let you get back to that?"

"Hell no!" Danny cried desperately. He reached up and repositioned his hands on Ethan's shoulders, holding him close. They kissed deeply, hungrily. Danny never realized how powerful his crush grew. His heart hammered in his chest as he brushed his fingers across his neck.

Pulling back, Ethan gave him an accusatory stare and unzipped his jacket. Danny hadn't worn anything underneath it. The sleeves shifted aside of their own accord. "Mm," he mumbled, sinking his fingers into the sheets. Ethan's lips trailed down his chest, leaving sweet kisses behind.

"What's that?" Ethan asked curiously. His fingers traced a large scar along Danny's side.

"I have two of them from a surgery I had to correct misshapen cartilage I was born with. I had a bar put in when I was 14. It stayed there for two years to support my sternum, so my heart and lungs wouldn't be crushed," Danny explained, caressing Ethan's neck.

"Well, what if there was a way to make them disappear?"

"I wouldn't really want them to. They make me feel like a survivor."

"I really hope you are."

Ethan leaned closer, hesitantly at first. He kissed Danny desperately, wrapping his arms around him. He wanted this so badly - needed it. Shifting closer, he slid one of his legs beneath his while their chests connected. Ethan didn't realize that he was being rough; Danny seemed to be enjoying himself. He shivered each time Danny grabbed his arms and draped his hands across his back. His body seized up without warning. Ethan felt his chest tighten like he was about to transform. Pulling away, he breathed heavily with wide eyes. He swore he felt his spine combine with Aiden's. He never noticed Danny grab both of his arms or the concerned expression he wore.

"What? What's wrong?" Danny asked. Did he do something wrong? This all happened so suddenly that he tuned out of reality. Ethan seemed weirded out - shaken almost.

"Nothing," Ethan covered abruptly.

"What?"

"Just give me a second."

Danny sighed when the bathroom door shut. He sat up slowly and pulled his jacket back onto his shoulders. Taking a deep breath, he ran his fingers through his dark hair. Did that really just happen? Danny felt unbelievably relieved. He forgot about Ethan's strange escapade. Things must have happened way too quickly. Danny felt like it was a lot more than that.

The door opened without warning, and Ethan exited, covering his stomach. He reached down and urgently put his shirt on. Was he sick? "Ethan, you okay?"

"I'll be back in a minute."

Danny didn't have time to protest. Ethan left the room before he could ask further. He felt like he did something wrong. It seemed like they'd be sleeping together later; Danny couldn't protest. Flushing, a smile formed as he remembered the taste of Ethan's lips. This changed everything between them, and it felt so right. Maybe, Ethan sensed it before him. He cleaned up and got himself ready for bed. Danny waited patiently for his return. His imagination ran wild, playing future events one after another. He wanted to kiss Ethan again, to be held in his arms; he wanted so much more.


End file.
